know what to do
next," he says. "It
helps the flow, in gen-
eral."
To see the 3D image,
everyone in the room
has to be equipped
with passive goggles
(meaning there's no
battery component),
but that doesn't mean
the lights have to be turned up. "You can use them in normal ambient
light and still get a really great picture," says Dr. Singh.
That's important from a safety standpoint, says Dr. Schaal, since the
retina can be exposed to potentially damaging light. "In 4K, and espe-
cially in 3D, you can use a very limited amount of light and still see
very well," she says. "I think that's the biggest advantage. You don't
have to kick up the light, so the chance of light-induced retinopathy is
decreased."
The heads-up display is also a relief for surgeons who no longer
have to spend hours hunched over microscopes in positions that are
ergonomic nightmares. "Surgeons can sit upright, relax and watch
everything on a screen," says Dr. Schaal.
2. Enhanced visualization
Digital microscopy, the same technology that allows images to be pro-
jected onto that screen, helps enhance the view in other ways, too,
says Dr. Singh.
The vitreous, for example, is clear and hard to see, "so you can
waste significant time finding and clearing it," says Dr. Singh. With the
1 1 8 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7
• COMBINED REALITY New technology lets ENT surgeons project CT scans onto
live images, making navigation easier and safer.
Michael
Dulong
